McCanns' sympathy over dead girl

A poster campaign urged the public not to forget the two missing girls

The parents of Madeleine McCann have sent their condolences to the family of a missing Spanish girl whose body has been found.

Spain's Civil Guard said the body of five-year-old Mari Luz Cortes was found decomposed and floating in an estuary near the southern city of Huelva.

The child, who disappeared on January 13, was identified through the clothes she was wearing.

Huelva is just 120 miles from where Madeleine disappeared on 3 May 2007.

'Thoughts and prayers'

Gerry and Kate McCann had sent messages of support to Mari Luz's parents after her disappearance and a poster campaign featuring both girls was launched.

The McCanns' spokesman, Clarence Mitchell, said: "Kate and Gerry are aware of the reports and it's clearly very upsetting for them.

"Their thoughts and prayers are with her family at this time."

Madeleine, then three, went missing from her family's holiday apartment in Praia da Luz, Portugal, while her parents ate dinner at a nearby tapas bar with friends.

Reports in the Spanish media said Mari Luz's body was found by an oil refinery worker.